Abstract: Methods of inducing tooth movement and treating malocclusion, craniofacial anomalies, bony defects, and dentofacial deformities through accelerated bone remodeling as caused by the delivery non-static forces; reducing pain and discomfort in patients; and improving tissue integrity long-term results as to prevent post-orthodontic treatment relapse. The methods and apparatus include a mechanism for data capture and analysis related to patient compliance and usage behavior, as well as for establishing the invention as a component of the clinical office workflow to increase efficiency and productivity.

Abstract: A faster method of orthodontic remodeling for a patient wearing a vibrating orthodontic remodeling device for about 20 minutes a day to accelerated tooth movement is described. The vibrating orthodontic remodeling device has an extraoral housing containing a power source operably coupled to an actuator that is operably coupled to a processor that controls the actuator, and is connected to an intraoral U-shaped bite plate. The device is held in place during use by the teeth clamping on the bite plate.

Abstract: In a tooth whitening method, a whitening composition is applied to at least one tooth. The whitening composition is maintained on the at least one tooth for a first time period. After the first time period, a light radiation is directed toward the at least one tooth for a second time period. The first time period has a duration greater than 50% of a total duration of the first and second time periods. The whitening composition is removed from the at least one tooth.

Abstract: A dental wedge (10) includes symmetrical sides (22, 24). The dental wedge (10) includes a restorative tooth side (24), the restorative tooth side (24) having a generally longitudinally extending planar wall (44) defined in part by an upper edge (34) and a lower edge (42), the planar wall (44) is inclined, wherein the planar wall (44) extends from the lower edge (42) upward and inward. The planar wall (44) includes an upper inclined surface (46) and a lower inclined surface (48), the planar wall (44) having a concave curve extending in a longitudinal direction, the upper inclined surface (46) generally defining the restorative tooth side (24).

Abstract: In a tooth whitening method, a whitening composition is applied to at least one tooth. The whitening composition is maintained on the at least one tooth for a first time period. After the first time period, a light radiation is directed toward the at least one tooth for a second time period. The first time period has a duration greater than 50% of a total duration of the first and second time periods. The whitening composition is removed from the at least one tooth.

Abstract: An endodontic file (10) has a handle (11) and a spiral cord (15) of helically wound metallic wire wound in a predetermined direction around a central metallic cord (13) formed between opposite ends of the central cord so as to form an integrated structure (18) of generally conical cross-section including a narrow tip end (17) and an opposite wider upper end (16) supported at the upper end by the handle. A flexible conical reinforcement (26, 31) supported by the handle covers an outermost layer of an upper portion of the spiral cord remote from the tip end, its lower end being of sufficiently low diameter to enter the root canal and dimensioned at its upper end to limit bending of the upper portion. An outer surface (20) of the spiral cord is configured for removing material from inside the root canal when the endodontic file is rotated in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A dental implant fixture comprises: a body; a continuous thread part including a continuous thread continuously formed in a spiral shape along an outer circumferential direction of the body; a bone damage prevention part formed at one end portion of the body and preventing an alveolar bone existing in an opening area of a hole where the body is implanted from being damaged due to the continuous thread part; and an entrance guide part provided at the other end portion of the body and guiding the body in an initial implantation entrance direction. The entrance guide part comprises; a flat portion of horizontal flat; an inclined portion extending upward from a circumferential surface of the flat portion with an upwardly increasing radius; and a rounded portion connecting the inclined portion and the continuous thread part and having at least one area inwardly rounded toward the centerline of the fixture.

Abstract: A device for forming a cavity in a bone includes a body defining a longitudinal axis, a flange defined on the body having two surfaces that meet an edge that is oriented oblique to the longitudinal axis, serrations defined on an outer surface of the body for forming the cavity, an internal fluid passageway defined within the body for directing fluid to the serrations, and a connector extending from the flange that is configured to be connected to an oscillating dental instrument.

Abstract: The present invention extends to a dental appliance having a set of rigid flanges conforming to a patient's mandibular bone structure and a stabilizer for securing and resisting movement of the dental appliance once set. The stabilizer reduces movement of a lower denture. The stabilizer extends perpendicularly from a flange of the lower denture and reduces denture movement during chewing. The stabilizer has one surface making contact with the bottom of the tongue and another surface making contact with the Genioglossus muscle when a user is chewing. The stabilizer does not require a dental implant for maintaining lower denture stability.

Abstract: A connecting wire is a wire having a circular cross-section and made of shape memory alloy or the like. Individual blocks have a cross-section configured to engage with an orthodontic bracket and have a through hole to insert the connecting wire. Because a torque is applied separately to each of the individual blocks after the connecting wire and individual blocks are formed according to an arch form on a Monson sphere, the torque can be applied keeping a three-dimensional curve such as the Monson sphere.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a bite tray having fiducial markers for head scan registration and method of use. The bite tray is held by a patient in his teeth while the scan of his head and the fiducial markers is made by x-ray, CT, or MM and the scan is entered into a computer to register the scan to the fiducial markers. Instrument optical markers are placed on a dental instrument and it is observed by a camera and the observation is entered into the computer to register the instrument optical markers to the dental instrument. Patient optical markers are placed on the patient and it is observed by the camera and the observation is entered into the computer to register the patient optical markers to the patient. The tip of the dental instrument is then touched to one of the fiducial markers making the location of the tip and the fiducial marker the same. The computer then registers the scan to the instrument and the patient.

Abstract: A mixing and application capsule for producing a dental preparation is described. The mixing and application capsule can have a capsule body with a mixing space for receiving a mixture component and for mixing the dental preparation from the mixture component and a fluid and with an outlet orifice for expelling the dental preparation, a cavity for receiving the fluid, a piston body that is movable in the capsule body, and delimits the mixing space in the capsule body and has a channel for conveying the fluid from the cavity into the mixing space. The piston body includes wholly or partly of two or a plurality of dissimilar materials, comprising at least one soft component and at least one hard component.

Abstract: An implantable screw for preserving the integrity of an oral socket and for maintaining space during bone grafting procedures is provided, where the screw has a healing abutment head having a region adapted to support soft tissue, a threaded shaft and a tip adapted to penetrate bone tissue. The temporary implantable screws provided may be used in conjunction with bone graft materials and are removable for placement of an oral implant.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing dental prosthesis/implants each to replace a non-functional natural tooth positioned in a jawbone of a specific pre-identified patient are provided. An example method includes the steps of receiving imaging data such as x-ray image data and surface scan data of a dental anatomy and/or a physical impression of the dental anatomy of a specific preidentified patient. The steps can also include forming a three-dimensional virtual model of at least portions of a non-functional natural tooth positioned in the jawbone of the specific pre-identified patient based on the imaging and surface scan data, virtually designing a dental implant based upon the virtual model, exporting the data describing the designed dental implant to a manufacturing machine, and custom manufacturing the dental implant for the specific patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to prevent interference between two physical tooth models in a physical dental arch model by acquiring the coordinates of a plurality of points on the surfaces of each of the two physical tooth models and digitally representing the surfaces of each of the two physical tooth models by a mesh of points in three dimensions using the acquired coordinates. The meshes representing the surfaces of the two physical tooth models intersect at least at one point to form an overlapping portion. The method also includes calculating the depth of the overlapping portion between the two meshes to quantify the interference of the two physical tooth models.

Abstract: The positions of orthodontic appliances such as brackets and buccal tubes on a patient's teeth are determined using digital data that represents the shapes of the patient's teeth. Certain landmarks of the teeth such as the marginal ridges are determined using software, and the software adjusts positions of the virtual appliances on the teeth as needed in order to bring the marginal ridges into proper alignment at the conclusion of treatment. The resulting positions are optionally used to determine the location of the appliances in an indirect bonding apparatus such as a transfer tray.

Abstract: Methods, devices, systems, and series of appliances are provided for dental implant positioning. One method for positioning an implant with dental treatment includes determining an implant location based on a virtual model of an optimized dental occlusion, moving one or more teeth using a first number of a series of dental appliances, from a first orientation to a second orientation, the second orientation exposing the implant location, placing an implant at the exposed implant location using a landmark included in at least one of the series of dental appliances, repositioning one or more teeth using a second number of the series of dental appliances, from the second orientation to a successive orientation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-part tooth implant with at least a proximal implant part and a distal implant part that are to be connected to each other such that a connection site is obtained when the two implant parts are in the connected state. An annular sealing element is arranged at this connection site and, in the fully assembled state of the tooth implant, is clamped between mutually opposite sealing surfaces, namely a sealing surface of the proximal implant part and a sealing surface of the distal implant part, such that the sealing element has an outer surface portion that forms part of the outer contour of the tooth implant. The two sealing surfaces initially approach each other in a direction oriented outwards from a central longitudinal axis of the tooth implant.

Abstract: Dental instrument servicing systems and cushions are disclosed. The dental instrument servicing systems may include a holder and a cushion. The holder may include a passage extending from a first opening to a second opening. The cushion may include first and second portions, with the first portion being configured for selective receipt within the passage and with the second portion extending from the first portion.

Abstract: A self-ligating bracket includes a bracket body with a mesial and a distal channel. A spring clip includes a distal arm with a distal arm body and a distal finger and a mesial arm with a mesial arm body and a mesial finger. The spring clip is slidably secured within the bracket body by a sliding engagement of the distal arm with the distal channel and the mesial arm with the mesial channel. The spring clip is movable between an open position and a closed position wherein in the open position, the arch wire slot is unobstructed and in the closed position the mesial finger and distal finger extend into and across the arch wire slot to occlude the arch wire slot.